(ECNS) -- The Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 11:44 p.m. Friday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced at a press conference on Thursday.

Preparations for the Shenzhou-21 crewed mission are progressing steadily. The Long March-2F Y21 carrier rocket, which will be used for the launch, is going to be filled with propellant, said Zhang Jingbo, spokesperson for the CMSA.

According to the plan, after entering the orbit, the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship will adopt a fast automated rendezvous and docking mode and dock with the front port of the Tianhe core module in about 3.5 hours, forming a three-spacecraft and three-module combination, Zhang said. 

(By Evelyn)